Welsh Father Christmas

Welsh Father Christmas
Designer:  Martha Schmidt
Series:  World of Santas #12 of 13
Needle Maid Designs chartpack #NMC-43, c2002
Stitch count:  127w x 170h

Description:  The people of Wales celebrate Christmas by eating well on plum pudding and homemade taffy and by singing well.  Each year competitive carols sings called Eisteddfoddes are held.  "Deck the Halls" is a traditional Welsh carol. 

French Pere Noel

French Pere Noel
Designer:  Martha Schmidt
Series:  World of Santas #11 of 13
Needle Maid Designs chartpack #NMC-53, c2001
Stitch count:  127w x 170h

Description:  Pere Noel dresses in a green cloak and carries a horn and a Jack-the-Joker attached to his belt.  Children place their shoes on the hearth to be filled with gifts.  Mistletoe represents good fortune.  There are three santons or "little saints" on the mantle. These small clay figurines are often patterned after ordinary people.  They are placed in scenes or creches as if they are going to visit the baby Jesus.  The chart design also includes the French fleur-de-lis pattern on the border.

Mexican Santa Claus

Mexican Santa Claus
Designer:  Martha Schmidt
Series:  World of Santas #10 of 13
Needle Maid Designs chartpack #NMC-52, c1998
Stitch count:  127w x 170h

Description:  a piñata party, angels and ceiling beams from an old Mexican church

Scottish First-Footer

Scottish First-Footer
Designer:  Martha Schmidt
Series:  World of Santas #9 of 13
Needle Maid Designs chartpack #NMC-50, c1997
Stitch count:  127w x 170h

Description:  In the 17th century the Puritans banned religious celebrations.  New Year's Eve and New Years Day  are times of "Auld Lang Syne", family traditions, and community festivities.  One tradition is "first footing."  If a tall, dark haired man, preferably a bachelor, is the first person to cross your threshold on New Year's Day, bringing with him coal (warmth), bread (food), money in his sporran or purse (wealth), and a twig of evergreen (continuing life), you will be blessed with good fortune for the rest of the year.  As a ritual to ensure true luck, he enters the house without speaking and goes to the hearth to stir the fire before greeting everyone.

Irish Christmas Visitor

Irish Christmas Visitor
Designer:  Martha Schmidt
Series:  World of Santas #8 of 13
Needle Maid Designs chartpack #NMC-48, c1996
Stitch count:  127w x 170h

Description:  While the Irish do not have a tradition of a gift-giver or a Santa Claus, they do have a number of customs.  On Christmas Eve a light candle is placed in the window, a loaf of bread made with raisins and caraway seeds and a pitcher of milk are left on the kitchen table, and the door remains unlatched to extend hospitality to the Holy Family or any traveler.  Irish immigrants brought the tradition of holly wreaths with them to the United States.  The chart design includes holly leaves and berries, shamrocks, Celtic crosses, and an Irish harp.

Norwegian Julenisse

Norwegian Julenisse
Designer:  Martha Schmidt
Series:  World of Santas #7 of 13
Needle Maid Designs chartpack #NMC-47, c1995
Stitch count:  127w x 170h

Description:  Julenisse is given porridge in the barn, and he gives good fortune to the family and gifts to the children.  Often shown with a goat, church bells ring, families celebrate with a hearty dinner of roasted pig and by placing a sheaf of oats or wheat onto a pole as a welcome dinner for the birds.

Italian Babbo Natale

 

Italian Babbo Natale

Designer:  Martha Schmidt

Series:  World of Santas #6 of 13

Needle Maid Designs chartpack #NMC-46, c1994

Stitch count:  127w x 170h